Low-level preamplifier circuit

ABSTRACT

In a low-level audio preamplifier circuit having complementary connected PNP and NPN bipolar transistors cascode coupled to other complementary PNP and NPN bipolar transistors in receiving the audio input from a low-level transducer in which induced distortion from externally generated radio frequence energy is cancelled.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 874,040 filed Feb. 1, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,820.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to preamplifier circuit and will have specific application to those preamplifiers receiving low-level audio inputs.

Heretofore low-level audio preamplifiers which were designed for use with such transducers as magnetic tape heads and velocity sensing phonograph cartridges have been frequently plagued by RF signals from CB operators, ham operators and some types of TV transmissions. Such RF signals overdrive the bipolar transistors of the first or input stage of the amplifier circuit resulting in demodulation and distortion. In this invention, a second bipolar transistor is complementary connected to the usual bipolar transistor of the input stage of the preamplifier to produce two complementary RFI signals which are cancelled upon their summation. An equalization network associated with the bipolar transistors is provided to control the frequency response and gain. To further reduce the RFI induced distortion, the audio signal from previously mentioned PNP and NPN bipolar transistors is cascode coupled. Such cascode coupling is accomplished by complementary connected additional PNP and NPN bipolar transistors which serve to hold the collector to emitter of voltage of the first mentioned bipolar transistors constant.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a low-level audio preamplifier circuit which minimizes RFI distortion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a low-level audio preamplifier circuit which includes a RFI filter for improved RFI suppression with minimum loss of fidelity.

Another object of this invention is to provide a low-level audio preamplifier circuit which reduces basecollector feedback to the input source and which utilizes an operational amplifier for high slew rate and minimum distortion.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a low-level audio preamplifier circuit which includes the use of cascode coupling of the output signal from two complementary connected bipolar transistors for further minimizing RFI induced distortion.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading of the invention's description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is illustrative of a basic circuit depicting the invention.

FIG. 2 is a complete preamplifier circuit incorporating the invention.

FIG. 3 is another complete preamplifier circuit incorporating the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments illustrated are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. They are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its application and practical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.

Referring to the simplified circuit shown in FIG. 1, input terminal 10 is coupled to a low level transducer (not shown), such as a tape head, phonographic cartridge, microphone or guitar pickup. A coil 12 and a capacitor 14 connected in series to input terminal 10 can serve as one medium for suppression of RF signals. Connected within the circuit of FIG. 1 is an NPN bipolar transistor 16 and a PNP bipolar transistor 18. The bases of transistors 16 and 18 are connected in AC and DC common with the emitters of the transistors being connected in AC common through capacitors 20. DC voltage sources 22 and 24 of the polarity shown in conjunction with loads 26, such as resistors, and current sources 28, such as resistors, bias transistors 16 and 18 in a Class A mode.

The audio signal output passes from the collectors of transistors 16 and 18 to a summing junction 30. The summing junction 30 is connected to an operational amplifier 32 whose output terminal is connected into an amplifier circuit (not shown) of the audio system. An equalization network 34 is connected between the output of operational amplifier 32 and the emitters of transistors 16 and 18 at connecting capacitors 20 to provide negative feedback. The purpose of equalization network 34 is to provide the desired frequency response and gain while minimizing distortion of the preamplifier circuit.

During normal transmission, the input signal passes through coil 12 to the bases of transistors 16 and 18 and through their respective collectors as in phase signals to summing junction 30. The summed signal then passes into operational amplifier 32 and from the operational amplifier into a connected amplifier circuit of the audio system. Upon RF reception complementary RFI distortion signals are formed in the collectors of transistors 16 and 18 to produce out-of-phase signals at junction 30, resulting in a cancellation of the RFI signal and its induced distortion. By virtue of this operation of transistors 16 and 18, normal audio signals are summed directly to produce twice the collector output while RFI induced distortion is substantially cancelled.

Further, coil 12 and capacitor 14 form an improved RFI filter with the capacitor being deployed across the base-to-the-emitter junctions of transistors 16 and 18. In the normal frequency range, capacitor 14 has no appreciable AC voltage across it. Capacitor 14 is designed to become operative only in the RF frequency range at which time it forms an RF signal shunt into equalization network 34.

FIG. 2 is illustrative of a detailed preamplifier circuit incorporating the above inventive aspects described with respect to the general circuit diagram of FIG. 1. The circuit of this figure includes those components previously described for the circuit of FIG. 1 which are numbered correspondingly. The circuit for operational amplifier 32 is enclosed within the broken line box indicated by the reference numeral 32. The equalization network includes resistors 36, capacitors 38, and rheostat 40 which serves as a gain adjustment. Switch 42 which also forms a part of the equalization network serves to change the preamplifier frequency response and is of common usage in the art.

Transistors 16 and 18 complement one another to cancel RFI induced distortion as previously explained for FIG. 1. RFI filter components 12 and 14 operate functionally similar as in the previously described circuit of FIG. 1. The summing junction for the collectors of transistors 16 and 18 as designated by reference numeral 30 is, in its simpliest form, a connection or node. Blocking capacitors 44 are located between summing junction 30 and the collectors of transistors 16 and 18. Blocking capacitors 44 cause operational amplifier 32 to form a virtual ground at summing junction 30, thereby reducing base-to-collector feedback of transistors 16 and 18.

Output terminal 35 is connected to the amplifier circuit (not shown) for the audio system. A switch 46 is utilized to change input impedance of the preamplifier circuit.

FIG. 3 is illustrative of a modified detailed preamplifier circuit incorporating the inventive aspects described with respect to the circuit diagrams of FIGS. 1 and 2. The circuit of this figure includes those components previously described for the circuit of FIGS. 1 and 2 which are numbered correspondingly. In this embodiment, the output signal from transistors 16 and 18 is cascode coupled by the use of complementary NPN bipolar transistor 50 and PNP bipolar transistor 52. The emitter of transistor 50 is connected to the collector of transistor 16 with the collector of transistor 50 being connected to load 26. The emitter of transistor 52 is connected to the collector of transistor 18 with the collector of transistor 52 being connected to its load 26.

Resistors 54 and capacitors 56 provide an operating bias to transistors 16, 18, 50 and 52. A unity voltage gain operational amplifier 58 having a low output impedance is connected between the audio signal input and each biasing network comprising resistors 54 and associated capacitor 56 for transistors 50 and 52. Capacitors 56 assure that the audio signal found at the emitters of transistors 16 and 18 will be the same as that found at the emitters of transistors 50 and 52. Diodes 60 provide overload protection for transistors 16 and 18, especially when connecting and disconnecting the audio input signal cables to the amplifier. Should amplifier 58 be overdriven, diodes 60 will be forwardly biased causing a shunting of the audio input signal.

By utilizing the cascode coupling provided by transistors 50 and 52, there will be but a small audio signal across the emitter-collector junctions of transistors 16 and 18 to further reduce distortion of the transistors. The audio input signal passes from the bases of transistors 16 and 18 through their respective collectors and through transistors 50 and 52 as inphase signals to summing junction 30. The summed signal then passes into operational amplifier 32 and from the operational amplifier into a connected amplifier circuit for the audio system. Resistor 62 and capacitor 64 is included in the circuit of FIG. 3 to compensate for stability since operational amplifier 32 in this circuit is of a different type from that disclosed in the circuits of FIGS. 1 and 2 and does not require feed-forward compensation to achieve full band width signal output.

It is understood the invention is not to be limited to the details above given but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims. 

What I claim is:
 1. A low-level preamplifier circuit for an audio input comprising an NPN bipolar transistor, a PNP bipolar transistor, an operational amplifier, the bases of said transistors connected in AC common for receiving the audio input, an AC common connection between said transistor emitters, means for providing a negative voltage feedback at said AC common connection for said transistor emitters, the collectors of said transistors being connected in a summing mode to the input terminal of said operational amplifier, whereby RFI input into said transistor bases generates complementary cancelling distortion in said transistor collectors, and means for holding the collector to emitter voltage of each transistor substantially constant.
 2. The preamplifier circuit of claim 1 wherein said holding means is a cascode coupling means connected between said transistors and operational amplifier and biased relative to a voltage signal equivalent to the voltage signal at said AC common connection for the transistor emitters.
 3. A low-level preamplifier circuit for an audio input comprising an NPN bipolar transistor, a PNP bipolar transistor, an operational amplifier, the bases of said transistors connected in AC common for receiving the audio input, the emitters of said transistors being connected in an AC common, means for similarly biasing said transistor emitters, the collectors of said transistors being connected in a summing mode to the input terminal of said operational amplifier, whereby RFI input into said transistor bases generates complementary cancelling distortion in said transistor collectors, and means for holding the collector to emitter voltage of each transistor substantially constant, said holding means being a second NPN bipolar transistor and a second PNP bipolar transistor, the emitter of said second PNP transistor connected to the collector of said first mentioned PNP transistor, the emitter of said second NPN transistor connected to the collector of said first mentioned NPN transistor, the bases of said second transistors connected in AC common for receiving said audio input, the collectors of said second transistors being connected in said summing mode to the input terminal of said operational amplifier, and means for similarly biasing said second transistors.
 4. The preamplifier circuit of claim 3 and a second opertional amplifier connected between said input and the bases of said second transistors for amplifying the audio input into said second transistors.
 5. The preamplifier circuit of claim 3 and an equalization network means for controlling frequency response and gain by use of negative feedback, said equalization network means connected between the output of said operational amplifier and the emitters of said first mentioned transistors, said first mentioned transistor emitters connected in AC common with said equalization network means. 